Posts Tagged ‘Spokane’
Showers, Blossoms, Babies, and Bleach
Greetings from the dental office! Spring has made its presence quite obvious outside lately. First crocus and now daffodils, forsythia, and magnolias are blooming here in the Spokane Valley. The rhubarb is up and trees all around us are budding out and ripe for a foliage explosion.
At our house, we have had 3 baby lambs and 4 baby goats born in the last 3 weeks, one new doeling last night. In the next two weeks, what will spring bring? I expect to see hummingbirds and serviceberry blossoms. Who will be the first to spot these landmarks of spring.
And, what are dental patients looking for? Well, as people do their spring cleaning inside the house and outside in the yard, to make the house and property look great, likewise, people want to have their smile look great also. Whiter teeth is a frequent request all year, but more so in the spring. Many people may be looking forward to graduation, reunions, weddings, and whiter teeth may be on their mind. But, whatever drives the desire, we can whiten teeth.
Just a couple caveats to consider before bleaching teeth:
- Whitening toothpastes are really a con – don’t buy into it. What is done during and after bleaching is a big determiner of success vs. failure.
- Teeth are covered with enamel rods. Despite the fact that enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, under an electron microscope enamel is quite porous. It looks like PVC pipe stacked in a pile, from the end you see all the tubes. When teeth are bleached, all the coffee, tobacco, tea, blueberry, etc. stains are cleaned out of those tubes. Following bleaching, the teeth reflect light better and look both whiter and brighter.
- Once teeth are bleached, those now clean tubules need to avoid all staining colored liquids, not forever, but for at least 2 weeks. This gives these newly bleached enamel rods a chance to fill in with clear fluid. This interim period must be gone through without cola, tea, coffee, huckleberry sauce, apple juice, etc. If you can’t give up coffee, tobacco, etc. for two weeks, don’t consider bleaching teeth. Anything with color can and will re-stain those freshly bleached tubules.
Ask your dentist about bleaching your teeth for a fresh spring smile.
Keep smiling,
Dr. James G. Hood
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Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
April Showers
April started out with two dry days, but the forecast predicts that it may be as wet as March. March was the wettest March since the 1880s. The very last day of March, we had a little lamb born at our farm. We didn’t debate long before settling on “Rainy” for a name. My daughters actually wanted to sleep in the barn with our new addition. Lots of new things are appearing during this spring season.
The rain is something that we may get tired of; the mud is certainly not fun to negotiate. However, my folks always used to say, “Don’t complain about things you cannot change.” Weather is just one of those things for which we have no control. So we should look for the good things which come along with the rain of spring. Robins and daffodils are appearing everywhere. The grass is beginning to green up and the trees are already beginning to bud out. Easter break is certainly a welcome break for school children and a time to get out and explore nature.
My personal favorite spring blossom will most probably appear later this month, the serviceberry. Also known by sarvisberry (serviceberry’s name comes from the custom of funeral services being delayed in the spring until the ground is sufficiently thawed to dig a grave, which was about the same time this bush flowers), shadbush (the name comes from the fact that the shad or river herring ran about the same time this bush flowers), juneberry, and Saskatoon berry. Serviceberry blossoms appear on hillsides before the bushes leaves appear. The white flowers look like areas of popcorn exploding from hillsides. The serviceberry is an important fruit for local wildlife. Thanks to our rainy spring weather for our serviceberry
Everyone should make an effort to find something you truly enjoy about spring. The rains bring flowers on trees and plants. Soon, the hummingbirds will appear, probably extra early this year. The air is clean and fresh following our splash of spring. What is it that you especially like that spring showers bring?
April showers really aren’t such a baa-d thing. In fact, Rainy is something to embrace and enjoy.
Happy Spring!
Keep brushing and flossing,
Dr. James G. Hood
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Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Autoimmune Diseases and Oral Disease
Autoimmune diseases are the result of the body responding in an inappropriate manner to normal tissues and/or substances present in the body, causing prolonged inflammation followed by tissue destruction. The body is fooled and can’t recognize the difference between healthy tissue and disease. The body, therefore, mounts an immune response (directs antibodies against its own tissues) against itself, as if allergic to itself. The cause of this dysfunctional behavior is unknown, it may be caused by a drug or toxin or bacterial or viral infection or environmental exposure to foreign substances. The result of the body’s inability to recognize the difference between normal tissue and disease results in destruction. As we age, this alone causes our immune system to decline in effectiveness. Autoimmune diseases affect over 24 million Americans and are one of our society’s leading causes of death and disability. Autoimmune diseases are ranked as the number one cause of heart disease, cancer, and all diseases.
A couple of the most common autoimmune diseases are diabetes (Type 1), rheumatoid arthritis, and allergies. Many autoimmune diseases also may have a genetic or traumatic component.
Here is a short additional list of autoimmune diseases and more are being discovered all the time. All of these diseases should have the autoimmune prefix:
| Achalasia | Pancreatitis |
| Addison’s disease | Parkinson’s disease |
| Behcet’s disease | Pemphigus/pemphigoid |
| Celiac disease | Pernicious anemia |
| Crohn’s disease | Polymyositis |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Reactive arthritis |
| Dermatomyositis | Rheumatic fever |
| Eosinophilic esophagitis | Sarcoidosis |
| Fibromyalgia | Scleroderma |
| Graves disease | Sjögren’s syndrome |
| Guillain–Barre syndrome | Systemic lupus erythematosis |
| Hashimoto’s thyroiditis | Ulcerative colitis |
| Hepatitis | Uveitis |
| IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) | Vitiligo |
| Menier’s disease | Wegener’s granulomatosis |
| Multiple Sclerosis | Wilson’s disease |
| Myasthenia gravis |
Autoimmune Disease Causes: The immune system is also thought to be suppressed by multiple factors, including abuse of:
- alcohol
- caffeine
- tobacco
- sugar (this cannot be over-emphasized)
- drugs
- food (poor diet or contaminated with herbicides, hormones, etc.)
- sleep (lack of)
As well as exposure to environmental pollution, including:
- automobile exhaust
- chemical fertilizers
- cigarette smoke
- heavy metal
- herbicides
- industrial waste
- pesticides
- stress
So, what has autoimmune diseases and oral disease (periodontal disease and tooth decay) have in common? Well, much more than one might think: Plaque and calculus left on teeth cause inflammation, initially gingivitis, followed often by periodontal disease (which we used to refer to as periodontitis). Any time you see –itis on the end of a word, it is screaming inflammation. Remember: it is always means it is inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes destruction of tissue. Periodontal disease causes destruction of all periodontal tissues, gum, bone, and periodontal ligament, causing loss of teeth. Tooth decay causes loss of tooth structure. Since periodontal tissues are all tissues supporting teeth in the mouth, without them – no teeth.
How periodontal disease (inflammation of all periodontal tissues) leads to loss at of oral tissues, including teeth, is a simple model demonstration for what happens to a body with autoimmune diseases.
Anything that a patient can do to minimize or eliminate inflammation will lessen the effects of the disease. A few of the things a patient can do to lessen the effects of many of these diseases are to avoid abuse of/or exposure to the above mentioned factors. Also, as always, eat lots of antioxidants found in fresh fruit and vegetables. Include vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea extract, beta-carotene, grape seed-skin extract, coenzyme Q-10 (coQ10) and selenium in your diet.
Also, talk to your dental and medical professionals on current treatments. Find support groups, ask others with your particular autoimmune disease how they cope.
Good luck…keep brushing and flossing,
Dr. James G. Hood
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Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Dry Mouth? Sjögren’s Disease?
Sjögren’s syndrome is a common autoimmune disorder affecting nearly four million people in the U.S. If you have Sjögren’s syndrome, you may have dry mouth symptoms. Dry mouth (xerostomia) can have multiple sources, for example:
- Lifestyle (smoking, chewing tobacco, mouth breathing)
- Dehydration
- Chemotherapy
- Nerve damage (to head and neck)
- Medications used as, or to treat:
| Acne | Muscle relaxers |
| Allergies | Nausea |
| Anxiety | Obesity |
| Asthma | Pain |
| Colds | Parkinson’s disease |
| Depression | Psychotic disorders |
| Diarrhea | Sedatives |
| Epilepsy | Urinary incontinence |
| Hypertension |
And certain diseases such as:
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Diabetes
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypertension
- Mumps
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sjögren’s – a disease which I also am affected with
- Stroke
SJÖGREN’S DISEASE
Sjögren’s disease is an autoimmune disease that attacks the exocrine glands of the human body. The most common first symptom of the disease is DRY MOUTH and dry eyes. Because of the gradual onset of the disease, most patients are affected by the disease for five to seven years before a diagnosis of Sjögren’s disease is made.
Your dentist is often the medical professional to first recognize the symptoms of this chronic disease. Your dentist is also a most significant professional to have to support you if you are diagnosed with Sjögren’s or any of the above listed maladies, which result in DRY MOUTH.
People with dry mouth should carry water with them where ever they go, have it readily available at work, in the car, and next to their bed. The simplest solutions to a problem often offer the most immediate benefit.
Dry mouth leaves teeth without the protective enzymes found in saliva, making teeth much more prone to rampant decay. We, as dentists, can fluoridate teeth in various ways, to remineralize teeth and make them more resistant to tooth decay.
Anyone with Sjögren’s disease needs a dentist as part of their support group, to advise and treat the results of this disease. Anyone with dry mouth, for any reason, would benefit with a support dentist.
Always here for your support,
Dr. James G. Hood
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Dental Care Associates of Spokane Valley, P.S.
Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Welcomes Patients
from Age 2 to 102!
James G. Hood, D.D.S., M.A.
507 North Sullivan Road, Suite A-1
Spokane Valley, WA 99037-8576 USA
Phone: (509) 928-9100 | Fax: (509) 928-0414
Email: drhood@drhood.com
Websites: www.drhood.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalley.com
Blogs: www.drjamesghoodblog.com
www.dentalhealthandnutritionblog.com
www.dentalcareassociatesofspokanevalleyblog.com
www.jamesandkarenhoodfoundationblog.org
www.sjogrensblog.org
Online Store: www.dentalhealthandnutritionstore.com
Organic Chicken, Duck, and Goose Eggs For Sale This Week at the Spokane Public Market!
Mountain Valley View Farm is selling out fast on all of our delicious, farm fresh organic eggs! Come see us this week at the Spokane Public Market, where you can purchase chicken eggs for just $5.00/dozen. We have over 60 different types of chicken that lay an amazing variety of brown, white, speckled, and colored eggs, including rare Aracauna eggs that have blue and turquoise shells. We also have 12 breeds of duck and 13 breeds of goose that lay eggs for us, and we are planning to add emus, guineas, and turkeys to our flock soon. All of our birds are free range, hormone and antibiotic free, and fed a fresh grain feed that contains no soy or animal bi-products so that you can always be sure you are getting the best quality organic eggs. Come see us at the market!
Spokane Public Market
32 W. 2nd Ave
Spokane, WA 99210
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thurs – Sat
Benefits of Organic Eggs
Organic eggs are extremely nutritious and contain significantly higher ratios of Vitamins A and E, Omega 3, and beta carotene than commercially produced eggs. They are also lower in cholesterol and saturated fat, making them an excellent choice for anyone concerned about their health. Furthermore, trace chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers have been detected in commercial eggs, and many of these chickens are given growth hormones and antibiotics to make them produce more. Chickens at Mountain Valley View Farm are fed an all-natural grain and allowed to roam and forage for food to supplement their diet. We do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers on our farm, nor do we give our animals growth hormones or antibiotics, so you can be assured that our eggs will not have the toxins so common to commercially produced eggs. You will also love the taste of our eggs, as studies have shown that organic eggs from hens that eat a varied diet have a noticeably stronger and more pleasing flavor than commercial eggs.
Benefits of Duck & Goose Eggs
Duck eggs are significantly larger than chicken eggs, and goose eggs are larger still. One goose egg, when cooked, will be roughly equivalent to four chicken eggs, and both duck and goose eggs also have more yolk than the average chicken egg. Thicker shells lend themselves toward a longer shelf life (at least 6 weeks in the refrigerator), and goose eggshells are so thick that they are perfect for the delicate art of carving and embossing beautiful designs directly onto the shell. Both duck eggs and goose eggs are slightly higher in protein content, as well as containing greater concentrations of other nutrients like iron, potassium, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D.
Duck and goose eggs have their own unique flavors as well. Duck eggs have a noticeably stronger flavor than chicken eggs, and although not everyone may care for this taste when eaten plain, nearly everyone agrees that duck eggs are unparalleled when used for baking. Their richness produces moister, fluffier baked goods–absolutely incredible cakes and cookies. Goose eggs taste similar to chicken eggs, but seem a bit drier. They are also thicker than chicken eggs and have a custard-like yolk. They are also wonderful in cooking and are best in sweet confections and omelets.
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Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
Your Source for Northwest Farm Fresh Foods Shipped Worldwide
4301 South Chapman Road
Greenacres, Washington 99016-8732 USA
Phone (509) 928-1800 | Fax (509) 922-9949
Email: sales@mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Website: www.mountainvalleyviewfarm.com
Online Store: www.mountainvalleyviewfarmstore.com
Blog with us at www.mountainvalleyviewfarmblog.com
Mountain Valley View Farm Hours:
Monday – Saturday
8:00 a.m. – Noon; 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Closed Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Other farm hours by advance appointment only.
Please call (509) 928-1800 to schedule an appointment.
Getaway Studio Dining Room
& Bed and Breakfast
Phone (509) 928-8900
Directions to Mountain Valley View Farm, Inc.
From I-90 East or West
Take the Sullivan Exit (291B) – South for about 3 miles
Turn left on Saltese (east), and continue for .5 mile
Turn right on South Chapman Road (south), and proceed .9 mile
The farm will be on the left-hand side of the road – 4301 South Chapman Road
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